Portable electronic devices (PEDs) are a ubiquitous part of modern society. Most notable of this class of device is the cellular telephone, with more than 150 million wireless subscribers in the United States alone and over 750 million users worldwide. In addition to cellular phones, other PEDs such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, handheld electronic games, portable DVD and MP3 players have been inserted into the fabric of everyday life in both recreation and business capacities. In addition to scheduling and record keeping, these devices are typically enabled with wireless network capabilities to facilitate applications such as voice communications, networking with other PEDs, text messaging and email. The high level of dependence on this wireless communications technology brings both convenience as well as a new level of intrusion into public places and situations.
A side effect of their widespread use is that the use of PEDs is disruptive and undesirable in certain settings. For example, it is generally considered a nuisance to use a cellular phone in a setting such as a concert hall, office meeting or classroom. Other venues may discourage or prohibit the use of wireless communication devices for other reasons. The use of cellular phones in some hospitals is prohibited because of concerns for electrical interference with hospital equipment. Likewise, some companies refuse entry to visitors with their camera-enabled handheld phones for fears of corporate espionage. Airplanes prohibit the use of portable electronic devices during takeoff and landing portions of flight due to interference with the ground based network or onboard instruments. Requests by officials to voluntarily turn off the PEDs are not completely effective, as the requests are sometimes intentionally or accidently ignored.
Electronic jamming of radio frequency (RF) signals through mechanisms such as the §0 transmission of an interference signal is known in the art. Other methods, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,496,703 and 6,556,819, operate on the level of the cellular service provider and thus require the provider's infrastructure. A side effect of electronic jamming is that the jamming eliminates wireless functionality altogether and precludes the use of the device for emergency communications. This is undesirable in some situations, such as that of a school environment seeking to balance the need to maintain classroom order by preventing students from text messaging, making phone calls, or playing games during class time, yet respecting the need for a parent to be in contact with their child for emergency purposes or vice versa.
In addition, during times of emergency or crisis, the attendant increased levels of communications strain the ability of wireless networks to handle the increased traffic. Critical communications that would serve the public interest may be hampered by increased traffic of non-priority wireless network traffic. It would be desirable to have a system by which some or all of the features and functions of wireless devices can be selectively enabled or disabled within a local area by controlling functionality at the device level within a geospatial zone. By interfacing with the operating system on PEDs without reliance on cellular carrier networks, complete compliance of communication restrictions can be achieved without human intervention and its potential for error.
Furthermore, a way to distribute localized alerts and information based on geographic parameters aids in crisis management and response. Information can be directed or pushed to wireless communication devices based on geography, providing a modern day “Emergency Broadcasting System” to help authorities efficiently manage crises or other events requiring such communication. Moreover, public officials can triage access to wireless networks in emergency situations to exclude non-essential communications. In addition, it may also be in the interests of governmental authorities to be able to tap into these communication devices to intercept live communications and retrieve information vital to public safety and national security.
In an age of inexpensive PEDs capable of wireless communication such as disposable pre-paid cellular phones, it is becoming increasingly impractical for law enforcement authorities to obtain intelligence on impending crimes. Conventional methods such as wiretapping and searching phone records presuppose that the time required to obtain the necessary information is available or that a phone number to trace phone records is identifiable. With proper legal authority, it would be beneficial for law enforcement to have a system for listening into a wireless phone conversation and obtaining data such as call lists, text message history, and calendars in real time from a PED (e.g., one they observe in the possession of an individual for whom they have authority to investigate) without needing to first obtain the PED's identifying information (e.g., a phone number or IP address).